This website and all content is owned and
copyrighted by Kevin Flatley 2015

To my shipmates that I served
with from 6/80-8/83: I am thankful that I had the opportunity to have
steamed with you and my congratulations on a job well done! It was
truly a pleasure to serve with some of the United States Navy's best....the crew of the
USS Spiegel Grove (LSD-32)- Kevin Flatley OS2/USN -

Before
we begin, I'd like to mention that any sailor that put to sea aboard
the USS Spiegel Grove (LSD-32) is hereby invited to 'help me out'
when it comes to our ships' history. By this, I mean that I ask you
folks to e-mail me
anything that might be helpful in either correcting any mistakes I've
made, or if you wish, add any colorful insights that you may have! I
will probably either add any factual text to the appropriate location
in the following data, or perhaps create a new "tidbits"
type of page as a link off of this page. I thank all of you for your
help, as I want this page to be the definitive USS Spiegel Grove
(LSD-32) information page. All comments are welcome as to content,
good or bad...Thanks!

The USS
Spiegel Grove
(LSD-32) is named after the home and estate in Fremont, OH, of
Rutherford B. Hayes, the 19th President of the United States.
(LSD-32; dp. 6,880; L. 510'; Dr. 19'; S. 21k; Cpl. 756; A. 123'; Cl. Thomaston)....

Spiegel Grove
(LSD-32) was laid down on 7 September 1954 by the Ingalls
Shipbuilding Corp., Pascagoula, MS.; launched on 10 November 1955;
sponsored by Mrs. Webb C. Hayes; and commissioned on 8 June 1956,
Capt. Saverio S. Fillipone in command.

Spiegel Grove
headed for Hampton Roads and arrived at Norfolk, VA on 7 July. She
headed for the Guantanamo Bay area for her shakedown cruise on 26
July and returned on 15 September. The ship was in the yards during
October; and in November, she participated in amphibious exercises
off Onslow Beach, NC.

On 9 January 1957, Spiegel
Grove, with
other ships of Transport Amphibious Squadron (TransPhibRon) 4, sailed
from Morehead City, NC, with elements of the 6th Marines embarked,
for a tour with the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean. She returned to
Norfolk on 3 June and operated along the east coast for the remainder
of the year. In November, she transported 364 Army troops to
Labrador. In January 1958, the LSD was deployed with her squadron to
the 6th Fleet on an extended tour which did not end until; 6 October.
On the 22nd, the Spiegel
Grove was
assigned to PhibRon 10, the new Fast Squadron. The years 1959 and
1960 saw the LSD participating in numerous operations along the east
coast and in the Caribbean.

Spiegel Grove
stood out of Norfolk in April 1961 with Task Force (TF) 88 for
"Solant Amity II", a good-will tour to the African coast.
The force carried tons of medical supplies, food and disaster
supplies, toys, books and seed. During the 4 month cruise, the ships
visited Gambia, Durban, the Malagasy Republic, the Seychelles
Islands, Zanzibar, Kenya, the Union of South Africa, Togo and Gabon
before returning to the United States on 8 September. She then
entered Horne Brothers Shipyard, Newport News, VA, for an overhaul
that was not completed until early January 1962.

Spiegel Grove
conducted refresher training and then spent March and April in
amphibious exercises in the Caribbean. In May, she took part in
operations supporting Malcolm Scott Carpenter's manned space flight.
In July and August she returned to the Caribbean for "Phibulex
2-62". On 1 December 1962, a tender availability period was
begun to prepare the ship for "Solant Amity IV". The LSD
loaded supplies during January 1963, and sailed, on 15 February, for
her second good-will tour which lasted until late May. The ship
steamed over 21,000 miles and visited 9 countries before returning home.
Spiegel Grove
next deployed to the Caribbean from July to September with PhibRon 8.

Along with the USS Austin
(LPD-4) & other warships, Spiegel Grove took part in
special amphibious exercises before beginning another deployment to
the Caribbean on 18 May. During the four-month cruise, she was
involved in Operation Exotic Dancer II, held off Puerto Rico and
visits included San Juan and Roosevelt Roads, La Guaira, Venezuela;
Colón, Panama; Guantanamo Bay; Bridgetown, Barbados; and St.
Thomas. This deployment ended on 10 September.

The landing ship has spent the
greater part of her active service participating in amphibious
exercises along the eastern seaboard and in the Caribbean. Spiegel
Grove was
deployed to the 6th Fleet from January to June 1964; 3 November 1966
to 11 May 1967; and from 17 April to 9 October 1971. She participated
in Operation "Steel Pike I" off Spain in October 1964 and
made a Midshipman cruise to England and Denmark in 1970.

1975: C.O. Cdr. John Avila, Jr.
The Spiegel Grove became a member of ComPhibRon 8, 2nd Fleet. January
and February were devoted to general upkeep. On 6 March, the ship was
U/W to the Caribbean with Marines from Morehead City, NC. The Spiegel
Grove
participated in various operations, including Latredex 2-75, with the
British Navy; Escort Tiger, Agate Punch, and Rum Punch with the
British and Dutch navies.

The Spiegel
Grove returned
to Little Creek in late April and was U/W again to participate in
exercises "Solid Shield '75".

The LSD's next assignment was to
serve as Commander Amphibious Task Force for a reserve amphibious
landing exercise in June. July was spent preparing for the ship's
second Caribbean cruise of the year. On 5 August, the Caribbean
Amphibious Ready Group 2-75 was terminated and Spiegel
Grove became a
member of the Atlantic Ready Group (LARG 2-75) under ComPhibRon 4.

On 6 August, the LSD deployed to
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and finally to Vieques, Puerto Rico where she
conducted numerous training exercises. The ship returned to Little
Creek on 29 August.

September saw the ship
participating in a PhibRefTra. October and November were spent in
port preparing for an upcoming Mediterranean deployment scheduled for
January 1976.

The Spiegel
Grove served as
flagship for ComPhibRon 8 in December.

On 5 January 1976, the ship
deployed to the Mediterranean with embarked UDT 21, Det 2 and ACU2,
Det E; and USMC BLT 3.

The Spiegel
Grove was a
member of Task Force 61. The ship anchored in Augusta Bay, Italy on
27 January. On that same day, during a rain squall, the anchor chain
of the merchant ship Honesty
(of Panamanian registry), parted, and caused the merchant to drift
and collide with the bow of the Spiegel
Grove. Minor
damage occurred to both ships, but no personnel were injured.

On the morning of 21 June, the
LSD began the operation "Fluid Drive" - the evacuation of
Lebanon. LCU 1654 was launched and 110 Americans along with 166
foreign nationals were evacuated to the Spiegel
Grove.

The remainder of the deployment
went well, and the ship returned to Little Creek on 15 July.

August and September saw the
ship preparing for a six month overhaul. On 20 September, the ship
got U/W for Yorktown to offload her ammunition. On 29 September, she
was U/W for Baltimore, MD where she began her overhaul that would
last throughout the remainder of the year.

In 1976, the Spiegel
Grove earned the
Amphibious Assault award and the CIC "E".

The USS
Spiegel Grove
remained in the Bethlehem Steel yards in Baltimore, MD for all of
1977. The Commanding Officer was Captain V.R. Bush. This overhaul
included major modifications to the enlisted dining facility and
galley. In addition, extensive work was accomplished in the main
engineering space where a majority of equipment was overhauled.

On 19 May the ship deployed to
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba for RefTra. On 18 July, the LSD sailed to
Bermuda to participate in the special CNO project OMAT (Ocean
Measurement & Array Technology). The Spiegel
Grove returned
to GTMO on 16 September to complete the RefTra.

The ship deployed to Panama
City, FL to participate in another special CNO project working with
the latest US Navy landing craft: JEFF "B" Assist craft.
November and December 1978 were spent in Restricted Availability at
port in Little Creek, VA.

January 1-10, 1979 were spent in
port, Little Creek. Cdr. Van Slyke commanding. On 10 January, the
ship deployed to the Mediterranean as part of MARG 1-79. This cruise
went without a hitch, and the Spiegel
Grove returned
to port on 19 June and stood down until 13 August 1979. On that date
she departed for Panama City, FL fro training with the experimental
"JEFF" craft.

The remainder of 1979 was spent
performing various amphibious exercises, including conducting LVT
operations with the Mississippi Gulf Coast Marine Reserve. The latter
part of the year was spent preparing for the January 1980
Mediterranean deployment (MARG 1-80).

During the transit across the
Atlantic Ocean, the Spiegel Grove collided with the USS Inchon during
an u/w refueling. The Inchon's helo elevator platform ripped through
the Marine Corps berthing area, and substantial damage was done to
the crane. There were no personnel injuries, but the Spiegel Grove
spent several weeks in Rota, Spain undergoing repairs.

During the successful
Mediterranean deployment, the LSD took part in several amphibious
operations including landings at Medonheria, Portugal; Garuch, Spain;
Capo Teulada, Sardinia; Dogenby, Turkey and Brindisi, Italy.

The LSD returned to Little Creek
on 2 July, and stood down until 26 August when she deployed for
"Teamwork 80". This operation included 60,000 personnel and
170 ships from nine NATO countries in the largest amphibious training
exercise in history. This exercise took place on the Norwegian coast.

January 1981 was spent in port
for general upkeep. In February, the LSD deployed to Charleston, SC
to test the feasibility of loading out Mine Sweeping Boats in order
to transport them worldwide.

On 8 March, the Spiegel
Grove deployed
with the USS
Josephus Daniels (CG-27)
to the Caribbean Sea to demonstrate US Naval presence in support of
US policies in Latin America and the Caribbean areas Carib Ops 81).
CincLantFlt (Adm. Harry Train) and ComNavSurfLant (V-Adm. J.D.
Johnson) were embarked on Josephus
Daniels. This
marked the first time since former Secretary of the Navy, Josephus
Daniels, banned alcohol from US Navy ships, that wine and beer were
served. This also may have been the first time in the ships' history
that she brought home a stowaway from the Dominican Republic!

During May, June and July, the
ship participated in two operations. The first one was Exercise
"Solid Shield '81", and the second one was "Operation
Life Line II" - this one working with the US Army's 7th
Transportation Group.

On 26 July, the Spiegel
Grove entered
the yards at Norfolk's NorShipCo Shipyard in Berkley for an extensive overhaul.

In addition to a Meritorious
Unit Commendation, the Spiegel
Grove received
the Energy Conservation Award from the Secretary of the Navy.

January and February 1982 saw
the USS Spiegel Grove
undergoing her overhaul in drydock. During March and April the Spiegel
Grove became the
first LSD-28 class ship to successfully complete a Propulsion Plant
Examining Board Light-Off Exam.

In May, the ship completed her
overhaul 2 months ahead of schedule and returned to port in Little Creek.

The next several months were
filled with numerous tests, exercises and inspections The LSD was
awarded her first Navy "E".

On 8 October, Commander Thomas
Summerlin relieved Captain John McKay as Commanding Officer. Two days
later, the Spiegel Grove
was U/W for Guantanamo Bay, Cuba for Refresher Training (RefTra).

RefTra was also completed ahead
of schedule, and the ship was the first LSD-28 class ship to earn
Operational Propulsion Plant Examination certification.

November saw the Spiegel
Grove
participating in amphibious refresher training and, during this
reftra, she earned the highest scores ever recorded at amphibious
refresher training.

Marjorie
Sterrett Battleship Fund Award is received
by the USS Spiegel Grove (for the year 1983) - the
Marjorie Sterrett Battleship Fund Award is presented annually by the
U.S. Navy's Chief of Naval Operations to one ship in the U.S.
Atlantic Fleet and one in the U.S. Pacific Fleet. A list of winners
appears at the end of this article.

Generally
the recipient is the ship with the highest score in the fleet's
annual competitions for Battle Efficiency Awards, and is therefore
often thought of as the fleet's most battle ready ship. This isn't
strictly correct, because it has been the policy to rotate
eligibility for the award annually among the various type commands
(aircraft carriers, submarines, amphibious ships, etc.).

The
award includes a small monetary stipend (about $500 in 2004).
Commanding officers receiving the award must put the money into the
ship's recreation fund, where it can be spent on athletic equipment,
prizes for athletic or marksmanship competitions, recreation room
furniture, dances, parties, and similar recreational activities.

From 1-19 January 1983, the Spiegel
Grove was in
port. On the 20th, she departed for "Operation Ahuas Tara/Kindle
Liberty". Anchoring 29 January, at La Cieba, Honduras, the ship
embarked 479 enlisted and 25 officers of the Honduran Army. An
amphibious exercise took place near Puerto Lempira. The Honduran
President and the Chief of Armed Forces were in attendance.

In February, the ship anchored
in Gatun Lake, Panama Canal Zone, to conduct amphibious operations
with the US Army.

March and April 1983 were spent
in port. On 23 April, the ship participated in "Solid Shield
'83". The ship returned to port on 4 May 1983. The remaining
days of May 1983 were spent preparing for the upcoming "Unitas
XXIV/WATC '83" deployment in June. On 15 June, the LSD departed
for the annual good-will cruise. The first stop was Roosevelt Roads,
Puerto Rico to rendezvous with the balance of the task force: the USS
Jesse L. Brown
(FF-1079), the USS Connolly (DD-979)
and the USS Scott (DDG-995).

The Spiegel
Grove returned
to Little Creek on 12 December for standdown and the holiday leave
period. The ship also began preparing for an upcoming overseas
movement (POM).

On 19 January 1985, Commander
Richard McCarthy relieved Commander Summerlin as Commanding Officer.
During the first couple of months, the ship prepared for an upcoming
Mediterranean deployment. In mid-March, the ship began it's
restricted availability repairs to the engineering spaces, mainly the
feed pumps and forced draft blowers. Due to repair problems, the RAV
was extended and the Mediterranean deployment was cancelled.

In early May 1985, the Spiegel
Grove acted as
host ship for the arrival of the newest LSD to Little Creek: the USS
Whidbey Island (LSD-41).

A shipyard strike in late summer
hampered ongoing repairs. In December, the ship began preparing for
the February 1986 LOE.

January 1986 saw the Spiegel
Grove receive departmental awards in Deck, Comms, and DC. The ship
participated in LOE and sea trials in April. Mount 31 was replaced in April.

In June, the Spiegel
Grove held a
30th birthday party commemorating the anniversary of the ship's
commissioning date. The LSD won the Golden Anchor award in October.

Commander McCarthy was promoted
to Captain in November, in December, the ship won the NavPhiBase
Captain's Cup; the Vulcan Phalanx Close-In Weapons System was also
installed as was the 4 Coffin Main Feed Pumps.

The main feed pump installation
was completed in February 1986. In March, the ship deployed to
Guantanamo Bay for RefTra. In May, the Spiegel
Grove underwent
Combat Systems Readiness Review (CSRR), and in June she deployed to
the Mediterranean Sea as part of MARG 3-87.

In November, the Spiegel
Grove returned
to Little Creek. December was spent in standdown mode.

During the 1987 Mediterranean
deployment, the Spiegel
Grove became CTU
76.8.2, better known as ComPhibRon 32 as the mining of the Persian
Gulf by Iran reconfigured the MARG deployment schedule.

Due to the extreme water
temperatures in this part of the world, the
Spiegel Grove
lost both of her evaporators, and she had to shut down the boilers.
The ship then performed a 'dead stick' maneuver alongside the USS
Ponchatoula (TAO
148) for a fresh water transfer. The ship received a 'well done' from
CTF 76, R-Adm Smith. The LSD was also designated as Top Operator
during the MARG 87 deployment.

The USS
Spiegel Grove
(LSD 32) was decommissioned in 1989 and from that time until late
1996 she rested as part of the 'mothball fleet' in the James River in
Newport News. It is her fate to be sunk as part of a piscine reef off
Key Largo, Florida sometime in Spring-Summer 1997**. This will also
provide a venue for divers as she will reside in approximately 110
feet of water. Her mast will be just 40' shy of the surface.

** The USS
Spiegel Grove
(LSD 32) was towed to the James River Reserve (JRR) site on 02/04/94.
Title of the ship was turned over to the Maritime Administration
(MARAD) and the ship was offered up to become part of the fishery
reef program. It was supposed to be sunk off Key West, FL but there
have been problems with the EPA with regards to clean up of toxic
materials such as asbestos, PCBs and lubricants.

As of April 1998: Currently is
that the ship is still at the fleet site awaiting the EPA to
determine the best way to clean up the ship. The JRR is located near
Fort Eustis, VA not far from Williamsburg.

5 May 1998: I received an e-mail
from someone at one of the dive shops participating in the project in
Key Largo, FL. He reports that the major hurdles (EPA imposed
hazardous materials cleanup) that have prevented the ship from being
sunk as a reef are now a thing of the past! Watch this page for
additional information as it becomes available.

8 May 1998: It looks like it
could be November '98 before the USS Spiegel Grove (LSD-32) is
submerged in Key Largo. For continuing updates on our beloved ship, I
invite you to visit my friend's site @:

31 July 1998: I'm still in
contact with MARAD, the EPA & the diving team. Currently, they
are still awaiting for the effects of El Nino to vanish....

11 September 1998: A group of
eleven hardy souls trekked to the James River Reserve Fleet in Ft.
Eustis, VA for one last look at the USS Spiegel Grove (LSD-32) as she
sits awaiting her fate. In our group were my wife and my two sons,
who have seen many pictures of my ship and ports of call, but not the
real thing. My kids got the day off from school for the "ultimate
field trip"! They had a blast and many of their questions were
answered while many more came to mind. (Now they know why dad is the
way he is!!)The first thing I noticed was
that she had a port list on, perhaps a few degrees or so, but very
definitely a port list.All in all, we spent
approximately an hour and a half combing her now dark and quiet
passageways in search of our Navy past. Paint hung in off-white
strands from the overheads, was rusted through on the bulkheads and
the decks were littered with the debris of age and neglect. We were
not permitted into the engineering spaces due to water, and other
dangers. Nor were we permitted into the crew's berthing spaces below
the water line for possibly the same reason.Paint chipped off in our
hands as we grabbed handrails going up and down ladders. The
haze-gray paint on her bulkheads was faded to almost white in places.
Her hull numbers were painted over in black or dark gray as was her
name, save for the portside aft, where "SPIEGEL GROVE"
could partially be made out.Primary Flight Control
(Pri-Fly) was locked and it's windows covered with metal. Cables, and
rotted line lay about haphazardly, so one had to watch one's head as
well as feet! (Man, the Bo'sun woulda been pissed!)The welldeck was moldy and
plants had sprouted between the planks. Broken glass was strewn about
as well as various pieces of metallic debris. Some of the hatches
were welded shut, while others were off the posts. One of our party
stepped into the messline prior to checking the deck...and was soaked
to his ankle! The entire messline, and from what I could determine
from the main passageway looking forward down the line, was under
about a foot of water!Moments later we'd discover
that the passageway outside of the 'E' Division offices were under
water as well!Our boarding party consisted
of a plankowner and a crewmember that decommissioned her back in '89.
The author of this WEB site was present as well as folks from Ohio,
Pennsylvania and the Tidewater region. Planning for this event goes
back to this past April and we were limited to how many we could
bring aboard, hence there was no notice published at the wish of the
JRRF. I am sorry for not posting the information, but I invite folks
to contact the James River Reserve Fleet in Ft. Eustis, VA to try and
get a last look for yourselves. She'll be there until after hurricane
season per her owners (a dive shop in FL).Those of us that made the
trip took pictures, and mine are elsewhere on this site. I am
expecting my good friend in PA to send me copies of his shots &
I'll post them when I get them.Another highlite of the trip
for me, was meeting, technically not
for the first time, a former soldier, also a 'Kevin', who was
stationed in Panama in the early 1980's. Well, after talking with him
on our return trip to 'the beach', it turns out that his outfit was
'launched and landed' in an amphibious excercise with the USS
Spiegel Grove - & as an OS, I was one
of the guys that sent him off at H-Hour...in 1981!! Small world.....While I was prepared in
advance that she 'was in real bad shape', and I expected it to some
extent, it really hit home as I was leaving: this was it. No more Spiegel
Grove. I have to keep in mind that when I
left the ship in Valparaiso, Chile in 1983, I never figured I'd see
her again, anyway...

Again, too I think that I've
come to grips with her fate: to be a reef; it's gotta be better that
having her act as a target for some tin can or sub's missiles...

I URGE you to look back at the
photo (prior to looking at the pictures of her today) at the top of
this page and remember the USS
Spiegel Groveas
she was in her prime: sailing the high seas and protecting our
country. Her history, but a brief blip in the world's timeline, was
still flecked with importance, as were the histories of many of our
ships. While she never served in a war other than the Cold War, were
her services still not important? Yeah, it can be said....I love My Ship!

14 September 1998: Received an
e-mail from my friend in Key Largo -The
ship was legally sold to the Chamber of Commerce in Key Largo, FL,
but then was issued a "hold order" until the yard in
Galveston has permits for storing liquid PCB's. The PCB's on the
Spiegel Grove are
all solid, however. Until the yard has the required permits for
storing liquid PCB's, the ship will remain at James River Reserve
Fleet in VA. The EPA is the issuing agency in this case, and had the
permits been issued when they were to be issued, then the ship would
have been moved to Texas for final strip-down.

13 May 1999: Received an update
from my friend in Key Largo -The
ship is now "officially" owned by the state of Florida.
This means they can proceed as planned, but now have a new
"snag". Whoever was going to tow the vessel for the Ocean
Divers originally either can't or won't. It's going to cost almost
$100,000.00 to get it moved to Brownsville for cleanup, according to
the current estimates we are getting.

28 September 1999: The latest
update is that the financial aspect of the ship's fate is taken care
of, mostly from loans from the county, etc. Most likely the ship will
be moved in either late October or early November 1999 to
Brownsville, Texas for final cleanup. Please stay tuned to this page!

5 October 1999: Currently
holding up progress is the weather...! This time we find that the
James River (VA) facility has suffered at the hands of hurricanes
Dennis & Floyd. To be exact: the ships, once serenely at anchor,
have been rearranged by Mother Nature! They are no longer at the
anchor position they once were, and the tugs, apparently not huge,
are a bit overwhelmed sorting things out! More to follow!

7 December 1999: As of now,
everything is on track for the USS Spiegel Grove (LSD-32) to be towed
to Brownsville, TX for final cleanup. Still waiting for a lengthy
weather-window..I reckon that the James River Reserve Fleet has been
restored to "it's proper upright position"...!

3 January 2000: From my friend
in Florida: "Some changes have been made to the 'master plan.'
The Spiegel Grove will now undergo her 'cleanup' at a location not
far from where she now resides at the James River Estuary (Virginia).
She is slated to be moved "on or before" January 11th. For
the fourth year, we plan to have her in Key Largo, 'sometime this
spring.' "

24 January 2000: From Jerry of
ESCO Marine out of Brownsville, TX, one of the guys who is readying
the ship for her final departure down the Atlantic Coast I have this:
The job of stripdown should commence next week and take approximately
10 weeks or so to complete. The preparation of the ship will take
place in Norfolk, VA. When the work is completed, she will be towed
to Florida. QUESTION
HERE: WHAT
KIND, IF ANY, OF BALLAST IS ONBOARD HER? IF ANYONE KNOWS, PLEASE LET
ME KNOW ASAP!! Thanks a lot!!

21 February 2000:This
is straight from our friends at Ocean Diver's: "The EPA is at
it again... The ship was supposed to have been moved last month for
cleanup. The move was never made, as the EPA has, somehow,
re-established a role in the process. The agency has asserted that we
need "one more signature" on "one more form",
before the ship can be moved. Since the form and the signature
required are their own, we are yet again in a state of limbo.
Everything is once again "on hold", until the specified
bureaucrat finds the time/strength to lift pen to paper."

16 October 2000: From Ocean
Diver's: The ship has officially been released! In the next few weeks
the Spiegel Grove will be moved to a nearby shipyard for
"clean-up". Any toxic, or potentially harmful
substances/materials will be removed from the vessel. Once this is
completed, she will then be moved to Key Largo for final placement (sinking).

3 November 2000: From Ocean
Diver's: Yet again, an agent of the EPA has found a way to impose a
personal agenda to stall the project. The latest delay will likely
tie things up for a few more months. By circumventing all
"normal" EPA regulations, and procedures, they have managed
to get an order requiring additional testing of the so-called
hazardous materials used to build the ship. At this time, our best
information is that we may see the Spiegel Grove in Key Largo by the
Spring of 2001 (just 4 years behind schedule).

6 February 2001: It looks like
things are beginning to fall into place concerning our ship. There is
an effort amongst all the players involved that could, I stress
COULD, see the Spiegel Grove Florida bound by late this spring and
put in her final resting place come summer. Stay tuned for updates as
I get them....

2 March 2001: News! The
possibility exists that the ship will be moved to a pier in
Portsmouth on or about 13 March! It is at that time the real work is
to begin cleaning up our ship: PCB removal, electrical wiring plus
anything that may endanger either divers or sea creatures. The
process is expected to last a few months with the ship in Florida perhaps
as soon as Memorial Day! Stay tuned to this page and PLEASE, do
not make any
vacation plans based upon this tentative information!

13 March 2001: More news! The
probability exists that the ship will be moved to that mystical pier
in Portsmouth on 20 March! The state of Florida is in control of her
now and has decided that the responsibility for the ship is to be
transferred to Monroe County. A memorandum is being drawn up this
week to make it so..... stay tuned....

24 March 2001: Well, now there
are lawyers involved down Florida way...this one claims the FWC
(fisheries & wildlife conservation) does not have the legal
authority to sign any documents regarding the ship! This even though
the artificial reef program is administered by the FWC! We are now
awqaiting Florida Governor Jeb Bush to sign the documents...so, the
saga continues! AGAIN, DO NOT MAKE ANY FIRM PLANS TO VISIT THE SHIP
IN FLORIDA UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE!!!!

4 April 2001: Lawyers are more
involved than ever it seems down Florida way...it is said that the
FWCC does not have the authority to accept federal donations (Spiegel
Grove). During the meeting that all this information stems from, the
insurance issue arose but it was proven (via a quick fax) that the
ship was/is insured. The Certificates of Title are in the possession
of the FWCC (as transferred from MARAD). Soooo, currently, the
slowdown is at FWCC legal department as they appear to be hesitant to
take the ship for fear of any unforeseen liabilities. More to follow.
AGAIN, DO NOT MAKE ANY FIRM PLANS TO VISIT THE SHIP IN FLORIDA UNTIL
FURTHER NOTICE!!!!

16 April 2001: And even more of
the same. It seems that Florida is in a quandary (still) over whether
or not they have the authority to accept FREE property from the US
Government. After the YEARS of extremely hard & tedious work of
navigating the EPA, MARAD, BEIC, etc, the hardworking men & women
involved in getting our ship to her final destination is bogged down
FOR THE DURATION in bureaucratic mumbo-jumbo. If you visit Key Largo
looking to see our Girl put down, don't say you haven't been warned!
:) I will try to keep this updated as best I can as anything can
change at any time on this one....

01 May 2001: Meetings and more
meetings over the fate of the Spiegel Grove. Legal wrangling over who
has the overall the liability regarding the cleaning, towing and put
down of her. No one seems to want to accept responsibility on the
issue. More information to follow (of course) as there may, I say,
MAY, be a light at the end of the tunnel (oncoming train?!). Stay
tuned, and for now, I'd recommend that you stay home!

08 May 2001: Meetings seem to be
culminating in a positive way for the Spiegel Grove. The FWCC does
indeed have the right to accept a ship from MARAD. Currently, due to
the signatures needed to complete the transfer (folks are located all
over the state it seems), the best guess for the ship to leave her
anchorage for the cleanup site will be at least 2 more weeks. More to follow....

22 May 2001: FINALLY! All
documents have been signed and forwarded to MARAD who advised the
JRRF to set a moving date. The JRRF is working with the contracting
firm to set the moving date at this time (to the pier in Portsmouth
for the actual work that needs to be done prior to her going south).

5 June 2001: SNAFU: troubles
with the title transfer documents - possible move date to the pier is
now mid-June. NOTE: The USS Spiegel Grove is written about in the
June 2001 issue of Skin Diver magazine!

8 June 2001: There is a Miami
Herald article out recently that suggests the the Spiegel Grove will
take about 4 months to clean before she can be sent to Key Largo
(Dixie Shoals - 5.5 miles appx. off Key Largo). This coupled with a
POSSIBLE new move timeframe to the pier of mid-June...we may be
looking at sometime in September or so before she makes it the
Sunshine State. At that time, the weather conditions mentioned many
times above may come into play: hurricane season, and I don't mean
the University of Miami football team! : Stay tuned and I appreciate
your visiting my website as always! THIS JUST IN: moving the ship for
stripdown looks LIKE A GO for late next week!!!!!!!! We'll see, as
we've been w/in 5 days of a move in the recent past only to be put on
hold...but I'm more optimistic this go 'round!

15 June 2001: The Spiegel Grove
MOVED from the James River on the 13th! Once her cleanup is complete,
she will be towed to Key Largo, FL. However, due to insurance costs,
she will probably NOT go south until early November, the conclusion
of hurricane season. There is a fine article on her towing out of
anchorage as well as a photo of it @ http://www.pilotonline.com/military/ml0614shi.html.
Stay tuned as always!

10 August 2001: Work continues
into the dog days of August. All appears to be on schedule at this point.

24 September 2001: Work
continues - looks to be roughly 45% complete - the Spiegel Grove is
now expected to be in Florida sometime in December, conditions permitting.

29 September 2001! More photos!Went aboard today at the invite of the
Foreman in charge of her cleanup! Wyatt, Blackie & I spent the
better part of 5 hours crawling all over the Spiegel Grove as she
sat, ripped, beaten and trashed at a pier in Portsmouth, VA. I shot
several photos, which are linked below. Readers of this ships'
history will recall that I was completely blown away at the
devastation I witnessed back in 1998 - as they say: that was nothin'
compared to today! Naturally, this is due in whole to the cleanup
process. Complete access was granted, so for the 1st time I got to
actually get into after steering and crawl up & out through shaft
alley (greasy mess, it was)! Piles of electrical cables were
scattered about, gun barrels were removed from the 3 remaining
mounts. The messdecks, under water in 1998, were less so today. The
glass hatch leading into the ships' store on mainstreet had been
smashed and the display cases broken. Water was leaking into this
compartment from above as was the case in the barber shop. Among
other things I witnessed was the not quite abundant supply of 'girlie
magazines', appearing to be vintage mid-80s....so, guys, now you know
where that errant Club or Penthouse went! :)Quite a bit of the railing that some of us
leaned over in rough seas had been removed or mangled, probably
during the towing process. I finally got a look at OI berthing, where
I was able to catch a wink or 2 between the P&S watches underway.
All of the racks as well as the hammocks on the port side had been
removed. Once in awhile one would see a rack drawer laying on the
deck in a corner.The latest line on Spiegel Grove's departure
is slated for early to mid-December. The work is estimated at being
45-50% complete now. More to follow.....29 September 2001
Photos - 24 + pages!

24 November 2001: Work
continues, but it's lagging behind expectations. Currently, the
process is NOW scheduled to be completed by early NEXT year -
possible put down dates are projected into either late February or
early March, 2002. Load on top of that the financial shortfall of
roughly $500k - the money will be raised selling dive medallions to
divers, with the remainder being put up by Monroe County.

11 December 2001: Work
continues, but it's so far behind schedule that another contractor
has been contacted. Currently, the best departure date for Key Largo
is late February-early March 2002.

5 January 2002: The USS Spiegel
Grove (LSD-32) has been moved from her original contractor's pier
across the river due to contractual problems! Work is to resume with
the new contractor, Jacobsen Metal. It is unkown at this time as to
whether or not the transfer time-frame to Key Largo will be impacted.

22 January 2002: The USS Spiegel
Grove (LSD-32) is at Baybridge Enterprises in Portsmouth, VA. Work
continues under this new contractor and is expected to last 120 days
or so....possibly, she could be underway to her final port of call in
May of this year.

7 February 2002: Work is
progressing very well to this point since her relocation. Current
predictions call for her to be underway by mid-May (best bet) to June
for Key Largo. Stand by gang....

12 March 2002: Current plans are
for the Spiegel Grove to be towed to Florida sometime during the week
of 16 June 2002....more to follow....

3 April 2002: The ship remains
at Baybridge Enterprises yard, work ongoing. Current projections call
for the inspefctors to arrive and go over the work. Final inspections
by the EPA and the US Coast Guard are pending. Once they are
completed, the vessel will be cleared for transportation to Key Largo
for sinking. We will not have an exact arrival date until the
inspections are finished, but it should be some time in mid May.
There appears to be no change in the transit to Florida portion of
the program....

2 May 2002: NEWS FLASH! Work is
progressing wicked fast on her now! The Spiegel Grove COULD leave
Virginia NEXT WEEK for Key Pargo & be parked in her final
homeport as early as 15-18 MAY!!!! Stand by....

7 May 2002: NEWS FLASH!
From the folks who know best: "The final US Coast Guard
inspection of the Spiegel Grove was completed today (ed. 5/6/02), and
the ship will be moved to Key Largo on Wednesday May 8. The move
should take 3-4 days and there will be 3-5 days of work required to
prepare the ship for sinking. Some things, such as cutting holes in
bulkheads, cannot be done prior to the move, since the ship must
still be seaworthy during transportation. I'm sorry that I can't give
you an exact date of sinking, but it will most likely occur during
the time period from Friday, May 17 - Monday, May 21."

8 May 2002: NEWS FLASH!
The Spiegel Grove is leaving Norfolk today, Wednesday, 8 May for the
final time. She is scheduled to be in Key Largo on 14 May. Most
likely, she will be put down between 19-21 May. FROM
SHIPMATE BILL CARROLL,
former radio host in Key Largo: anyone from the Spiegel Grove is
welcome to attend the radio show next Thursday night (the 16th!) at
Snapper's waterfront saloon and raw bar at milemarker 95 oceanside.
As this show will be centered around the sinking we would be happy to
interview people on the show. Showtime is 6:30 until 7:30 (EASTERN)!
What a great opportunity shipmates! Kevin.... (late note: I will be
on the show via telephone!)

11 May 2002: NEWS FLASH!
As of 9AM (EST), yesterday morning, the Spiegel Grove was east of
Wilmington, NC. Her projected arrival in Key Largo is Monday May
13th, or early monring of the 14th. The anticipated put doan date is
17 May but MAY change....

12 May 2002: NEWS FLASH!
As of 8AM (EST), Saturday morning, the Spiegel Grove was off
Charleston, SC. Target dates to Key Largo are still legit... AND..as
of noon TODAY, she was off Fernandina Beach, FL moving at roughly 6.8
knots. Due date to Key Largo is Tuesday, 14 May... When she's ready,
technicians will use small explosive charges to get the ship to
slowly fill with water. The plan is for the Spiegel Grove to be
positioned upright on the bottom, not on her side as originally
thought. Part of her will be within 40 feet of the surface, while
other areas will be as deep as 124 feet.

13 May 2002: NEWS FLASH!
As of 6PM (EST), Sunday evening, the Spiegel Grove was near Cape
Canaveral, FL. travelling at 6 knots. Her due date/time as of this
update is 05:30 Tuesday, 14 May....

13 May 2002: NEWS FLASH! As of
6AM (EST) today, she was off Fort Pierce, FL, approximately 142 miles
miles from her destination. Arrival is expected around 8AM (EST) tomorrow!

14 May 2002: NEWS FLASH! As of
11PM (EST) Monday night, she was off Fort Lauderdale, FL,
approximately 60 miles miles from her destination. She is travelling
at roughly 7.5 knots with the help of another tug from Ft. lauderdale
(brought out due to strong Gulf currents). 8:30 this morning looks
good as her arrival in Dixie Shoals. KEY LARGO HOTEL AVAILABILITY
INFO: 800-822-1088 (CHAMBER of COMMERCE). LATE ADD: The USS Spiegel
Grove (LSD-32) IS in Key Largo...for further information, please
visit the Florida
Keys
website...Thank you!

15 May 2002: NEWS FLASH! The
Spiegel Grove arrived in Key Largo officially at 8AM yesterday
morning. As of 6PM last night, her 4 anchors were in place, holding
her in her final position until Friday when she is tentatively set to
be lowered into her undersea berth using 'marine-friendly' explosives....

16 May 2002: The Spiegel Grove
awaits her projected Friday, 17 May lowering into her undersea berth
in Key Largo. There is a smorgasbord of great information on her as
well as the trials and tribulations she (and her crew amongst
others!) went throughto get her to this point...Visit the Florida
Keys web-site @ http://www.fla-keys.com/spiegelgrove/spiegelnews.htm
for more Spiegel Grove information! Great site & I recommend that
you visit today!

17 May 2002: The Spiegel Grove
is to be lowered into her undersea berth this afternoon, 14:00 EST,
using low level explosives to get the job done. If all goes according
to plan, divers may be able to dive her by Sunday....

17 May 2002 (13:30 EST): The
Spiegel Grove lowered herself 4 hours ahead of schedule this morning!
At the time of her premature descent to the ocean floor, there were
welders aboard. As far as I can tell from my sources, they made it
off safely. I hope and pray that this is true.... She landed upside
down in the silt...not sure as of this writing how/if she will be
righted....Apparently there was still plenty of welding to do to make
her a safe haven for divers....more when I know more...

17 May 2002 (19:30 EST): CNN
reports that at approximately 10:30 EST, she slowly turned turtle and
sank to the bottom in roughly 160' of water, upside down. Other
information that I have indicates that she may be resting on her
cranes, perhaps on the corners of her stern. The hull more than
likely still has air in it. Current plans call for tugs to assist in
either righting her (using airbags in her welldeck), or at least
rolling her onto her side and stabilizing her there to save this
massive dive project. May I direct you to my friend's site, SpiegelGrove.com
for some great photos & a blow-by-blow account.... The photos,
for all of my shipmates that steamed aboard her are, to be blunt: a
bitch to see! GREAT pix, though....

19 May 2002: Key Largo Chamber
of Commerce Board Members met late Friday night to review proposals
from a few different salvage companies as efforts to resettle the
ship as originally intentioned continue. It is expected that
acontract with one of them will be signed today, Sunday. Local
diver's recovered equipment yesterday that was left when the Spiegel
Grove unexpectedly went down early. As my friend Matt Weyerich says,
"Reef On"!

20 May 2002: Word is that rthe
contract has been signed and a crew is ready to straighten things
out. If the weather holds, the salvage team says that they ca have
the work done possibly by today, Monday. Key Largo weather has not
been cooperating as of this report.

21 May 2002: The problem,
ACCORDING TO ONE SOURCE, that caused the ship to turn turtle was a
combination it seems, of ordering the removal of the hatches too soon
and complete loss of trim. A report came in saying that the stern was
losing draft at about 10AM. The ordnanceman that was to set the
charges in her engine rooms found them to be under a few feet of
water when he went down...this was roughly 3-4 hours too soon for
them to be awash I'm told. The feeling of the Project Team is that
there was a catastrophic failure in a bulkhead somewhere below,
perhaps in the engine room, that CAUSED the ship to flood more
rapidly than expected. The 60-page Sink Plan was executed as per the
plan. Due to the plan, there were NO injuries or deaths. It's
expected that another quarter million dollars will be needed to fix
this problem....more to come. For ways to help with $$, please visit the
Florida Keys website.

22 May 2002: Work on resettling
the ship is progressing...hopes are still to be finished righting her
by the weekend...roughly...

23 May 2002: Work began in
earnest early this morning. Currently, there is no projected date for
the end of this salvage effort. A 100' long tug, along with divers,
an engineer and salvage master are now the key players in the USS
Spiegel Grove saga. As for now, ballast tanks are being tested for
air injection and air bags are to be attached to her sides. As has
been in the past, please stay tuned!

25 May 2002: Plans to reorient
the Spiegel Grove were approved by the USCG yesterday. Several 10-ton
lift airbags and 3 large air compressors will be used in conjunction
with tugs to right the ship. Due to weather conditions, work has been
suspended through Saturday as of this writing. Once the winds and
seas subside, plans call to immediately begin work. Read
about what happened from those who were there!

28 May 2002: Divers spent
yesterday working to identify locations to attach the air bags on the
ship. 4 of these bags are 24' high and capable of lifting 600 tons of
dead weight. This additional lift will add to the ships' buoyancy
once the air is fed into her port ballast tanks.

29 May 2002: Work resumed on
Tuesday after a 3 day break due to high winds and heavy seas. Airbags
deployed will help lighten the port side of the ship so she can be
flipped onto her starboard side. Confidence is high that she can be
fully righted.

30
May 2002: Workers recovered items lost when the ship went down early
on 17 May. Items pulled from the deep included an antique cutting
torch ca. 1940's and a huge welding machine that was delcared a total
loss. Also on board were a box of "I Helped Sink the USS Spiegel
Grove" t-shirts. The wife ogf the project coordinator worked
hard to remove the rust stains from them to no avail. It's expected
that the rusty shirts will bwe an even bigger hit with the volunteers
than the ones stain-free....

1
June 2002: The target dates for rolling the ship over are estimated
to begin between 5-7 June according to the salvage complany doing the
work. Changes in weather conditions will no doubt delay this initial
attempt at rolling her over. Plans call for setting chains to her
port side, connected to hydraulic jacks on the tugs to provide 300
tons of pulling force. This coupled with the 60+ air bags, giving 500
tons of lift & the 3 knot currents in the area will hopefully be
enought to begin her rolling over. A ship model and salvaging
software were used to predict the possible sequence of events. In any
case, this salvage will be a dangerous one for the divers and I wish
them all well....

5
June 2002: The salvage company charged with righting the Spiegel
Grove will begin the maneuver on Friday, 7 June - 1 day short of her
46th Commissioning Anniversary. Air bags, and 'super tugs' will be
used in conjunction with the prevailing current to shift the ship
onto her starboard side. It is hoped that she will evenutually be
restored to her original planned position: on her keel. Currently,
she is resting on her flight deck with approximately 70' of her
upturned bow clear of the water.

6
June 2002: Air bag installation was completed on Wednesday that will
lift the Spiegel Grove to zero buoyancy so she can be flipped onto
her side, or better yet, onto her keel. Port side ballast tanks were
also tested that are to be injected with air to give an extra 2,000
tons of lift. Plans remain to perform the flip-over task on Friday, 7
June, weather conditions permitting. I, for one, believe that Resolve
Marine CAN do this job! Go get 'em!...Kevin

7
June 2002: The 'flip date' has been moved to Monday, 10 June. Salvage
divers had difficulty accessing some of the ballast tanks due to some
of them having baffles. Extra time will be required to pentetrate
those tanks and enhance the chances of success in rolling her all the
way over. It is hoped that the ship will be righted on Monday,
weather conditions permitting as always.

10
June 2002: The 'flip date' is here. Two tugboats arrived off the
Spiegel Grove yesterday and as of last night, air was being pumped
into her ballast tanks. Ocean current is also to be a major player in
her roll-over. Estimates on the power of the current range from 10-90
tons of pressure or movement. In conjunction with the tugs and air
lift bags, it is expected that the ship will rise from the ocean
floor to be righted in her correct position.

11
June 2002: It's over. Crews worked around the clock Sunday night into
Monday and were able to get the Spiegel Grove onto her starboard side
using all of the tools previously mentioned. This is to be her final
position, on her starboard side, 6 miles off Key largo, Florida. She
went below late Monday evening....

12
June 2002: Divers MIGHT be able to dive what is possibly the world's
best known wreck this weekend! I am also hearing that PERHAPS efforts
to get her all the way onto her keel MIGHT still happen....stay tuned!

15
June 2002: Divers will be able to dive the USS Spiegel Grove (LSD-32)
on Tuesday, 18 June! This delay is due to a weather system in the
area that's creating rough seas as much as the need to retrieve
equipment from the ship that had been left when she went down early
on 17 May.

17
June 2002: I'm receiving reports that the Spiegel Grove is now
leaking oil or hydraulic fluid. I can't verify this information as of
this time. I'm also told that public diving will indeed commence
tomorrow and that the earlier mention of it being an advanced dive
may not be correct due to her being so close to the surface.
Apparently there will be no further efforts to set her on her keel.....

18
June 2002: The fluid leaking from the Spiegel Grove may be hydraulic
fluid, but tests being done at LSU haven't completed yet. Diving for
today, as planned, has been delayed UFN. Thoughts are that the fluid
may be coming from abandoned power equipment, lost when she went down
early on 17 May may be the culprit.

21
June 2002: The fluid leaking from the Spiegel Grove is NOT harmful to
either the environment or divers according the the lab at LSU. The
small amounts of hydrocarbons are considered well within limits. The
US Coast Guard has been requested to reinspect the site today,
Friday. Divers will continue to search for the leak, albeit the flow
has slacked off in recent days. The 500 yard safety zone will remain
in place until the leak source is located and secured. Overall, the
report is good news....

23
June 2002: The fluid that had leaked form the ship may have been
cleaned up on Saturday according to sources. Special fabric that
absorbed the fluid on the surface were emplyed successfully. A few
gallons of what was apparently hydraulic fluid was located in a
ceiling of a port-side compartment. The ship will be inspected on
Sunday to determine if the oil leak has indeed be cleaned up and
rectified. The USCG has final say on when the ship will open to
divers, and in the meantime, will maintain a 500 yard off-limits area
around the Spiegel Grove.

25 June 2002: The fluid that
divers had thought to be cleaned up & secured has returned.
Closer inspection showed that the remaining sheen was coming from an
adjacent compartment - the machine shop. The ship was to be
re-inspected yesterday and will remain closed to divers until further
notice. The leak was found to be small engine lubricating oil.

26 June 2002: Finally! The USS
Spiegel Grove (LSD-32) is OPEN to diving! Mooring buoys were
installed yesterday and the 500 yard 'keep away' zone was lifted by
the Coast Guard. The Best Known Artificial Reef in the world is OPEN!
Dive safely!

2 July 2002: So far, over a
thousand divers have descended upon the USS Spiegel Grove only a week
after she was opened for diving! In a week's time, many species of
undersea flora and fauna have taken up permanent residence on her
decks and bulkheads. Divers comments have all been positive and many
are awed by her size. The ship has been designated as a multi-level
dive site, meaning that there are various levels of expertise
involved in diving her. Divers from novices to advanced/experienced
will find many things to see and do. Some have said that "you
can dive her a hundred times and not see everything".

18 May 2003:
A "1 year on the bottom" update from Bob
Serata: A little
more detail: the surface current was really ripping; probably a
couple of knots. Because we were on a commercial dive boat granny
lines were tied all over the place. Looked like a map of the
Mississippi delta on the surface. Seas were nice, long ones and twos,
not our infamous short chop. I knew the AP lady had a tough day, but
found out latter that one of the local Miami on-camera reporters was
green enough that the station (CBS Ch. 10) later used pool video and
didn't show him or use his audio. Current lessened on descent, then
dissipated at about 50 feet. On the ship, it ran from stern to bow; a
bit unusual because the prevailing Stream current tends to run
perpendicularly over the hull. It was easy to cruise along the port
gunwale, floating to either the "wall" side or topside
without much effort.

Although the sideboard-down
landing initially broke a lot of hearts and caused a lot of
second-guessing, I think it was a good result. In ten years, the
Spiegel Grove will be known as one of, if not the best wall dives in
the Keys. I'll predict that when the hull gets grown over and fish
life takes hold, the Sanctuary folks (or dive shop association) will
drill some moorings in the sand off the hull. Boat will hook up,
divers will descend on the mooring line, and lateral safety lines can
be drifted toward the "wall." It will be an amazing sight.

The ship does not present that
sense of being down a long time, yet. Very good coverage of
"fuzz." Beginnings of soft corals, some flat sponges, lots
of algae. Evolution has begun.

Arrow crabs have taken solid
hold in every available horizontal crevice. Mostly seaweed-like
bryozoans, a few tube-like colonies starting. Also looked like some
hydroids taking hold but my old eyes might have been looking at algae.

The largest schools of fish were
what I inaccurately and too generally call "baitfish."
Laddie Akins from REEF said there were a lot of juvenile blue runner
schools, but they looked more like snapper to me. Definitely not
pilchards or pinfish. He's the expert, though.

A huge black grouper has taken
up residence in a lower hole -- my sight angle was off so I couldn't
tell what his home looked like and I don't know the ship well enough
to give an accurate ID.

The big surprise was a pair
(probably a mating pair) of tarpon circling the pilothouse. Id say
one was in the 40-50 lb. range, the other easily 60+ lbs. If the
Eagle wreck is any indication, snook and permit will soon follow the
tarpon through the passes to the wreck.

One concern I had was caused by
finding a lot of free floating, leathery-feeling paint chips,
generally in the 1-2 inch size category. Doc Schweinler said that the
urchins are breaking the pain loose. I'm not buying it. First, I
never saw an urchin of any kind and, second, if it was urchins the
chips would be in really tiny pieces. I think it was lousy work by
the first prep & clean company (the one that missed 40 fuel
bunkers. Anyway, Doc said the Sanctuary hasn't raised a stink so
we'll just hope the chips get eaten up by all the sewage we're oozing
into Florida waters. Yum.

I last dove the Spiegel Grove in
about 6 feet of viz so this was more like a first dive. It is truly
an amazing sight. I got an A in physics, but I'm still amazed
something so big could actually float. Whatever service she gave to
humans, she's now a life platform for what will certainly be hundreds
of marine creatures.

I've been on maybe 50 wrecks in
Truk Lagoon, around Palau and along the Keys. The Spiegel Grove will
be something special among them. Today, she's got a quiet dignity, as
if she was just resting, waiting for the ever-growing list of life
cycles to build. In years to come, the thousands of divers who visit
her will lose sight of the great ship and see a great reef. She'll
have served mankind in the greatest manner possible on this planet --
by giving birth to an entire ecosystem. And the millions of
inhabitants who live on but ignore her gift.

11 July 2005: On Monday, 11 July
2005, as a direct result of Hurricane Dennis, the Spiegel Grove
shifted appx 50 yards on her anchors and now sits upright! The
hurricane passed over 200 miles to her west and the underlying
currents caused her to flip upright. The hightest point of the ship
is now appx 60 feet below the surface. As of this update, the ship is
off limits to all diving until expert divers assess the safety of
future dives. Currently, there is quite a bit of stirred up silt and
the like about...

The Spiegel Grove is home to at
least 166 different species of fish, and temporary 'home' to
thousands of divers, making her the #1 diving attraction in the
Florida Keys.

From Bob Serata: Here's the
short version: A dive boat went out this morning but couldn't find
the buoys; phoned the Santuary office. Sanctuary sent someone out.
Found the boat upright. Best early guess is that the currents from
Hurricane Dennis pushed the boat along the bottom maybe 50 yards.
Then the anchors grabbed. Because the anchors chains and cables had
been wrapped around the hull when the ship originally was sunk, the
current pushed it upright. Two dive teams are on site tonight to make
safety and rigging checks. Florida media should have a decent story
by tomorrow.

17 March 2007: 3 New Jersey men
died while diving the USS Spiegel Grove (LSD-32) on Friday; bodies to
be recovered Saturday...more @ -http://www1.wsvn.Com/news/articles/local/MI42094/
....The Prayers of this webmaster & his Shipmatges are with their families.....

17
May 2012: By Associated Press, Published: May 16AP

KEY LARGO, Fla. - Divers marked
the 10th anniversary of the conversion of a retired Navy ship into an
artificial reef in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary on
Wednesday, heading down to the Spiegel Grove to place the ashes of
one of its most ardent admirers.

Local business leaders joined
shipwreck enthusiasts for a ceremonial dive on the 510-foot former
Navy landing ship dock that had been transformed into a massive
artificial reef, six miles off Key Largo.

They also placed the ashes of
Tom Maher, 54, a researcher who gathered economic data on the Spiegel
Grove's role as a dive attraction. Maher died last year of a heart
attack and had requested the wreck as his final resting place.

"Before the Spiegel Grove
was put down on the bottom, basically we had a sandy, flat bottom;
with no structure, no complexity no coral on it at all," said
Lad Akins of the Reef Environmental Foundation, who lead a five-year
study of the wreck's marine life.. "And this 500-plus-foot steel
structure has provided incredible relief and complexity for use of
marine life.

The Spiegel Grove has also had a
significant economic impact on Key Largo, generating an estimated $25
million in tourism revenue during the past 10 years, according to Key
Largo Chamber of Commerce officials.

"Key Largo is known as the
dive capital of the world and the addition of the Spiegel Grove only
furthered that name," said Russ Yagel, the chamber's board chair.

The story of its Spiegel Grove's
voyage to the bottom at a depth of 130 feet is as intriguing as its
present-day coral growths.

Designed to carry cargo and
craft for amphibious landings, Spiegel Grove was in operation from
1956 until its decommissioning in 1989.

In June 2001, after more than a
decade in the U.S. Navy's "Mothball Fleet" in Virginia's
James River, Spiegel Grove was towed to undergo an elaborate cleaning
process. Eleven months later it was moved to Key Largo.

Six hours before its intended
scuttling, the vessel prematurely sank and unexpectedly rolled over,
leaving its upside-down bow protruding above the surface of the water.

"At the time it was sunk it
was not looked as a blessing, (however) ironically it resulted in a
great deal of international attention that now makes people from
around the world dive the Spiegel Grove," Yagel said.

Some three weeks later, on June
10, 2002, a salvage team sank the vessel fully and it came to rest on
its starboard side. The enormous ship immediately attracted reef fish
and marine growth. It officially opened to divers June 26, 2002,
luring underwater enthusiasts to the new artificial reef's cliff-like
hull sprawled across the sandy bottom.

Three years later, the story
took another unexpected twist. July 9, 2005, brought what many call
Hurricane Dennis' gift to sport diving. The storm skirted the Keys,
but when it was east of Cuba it generated powerful currents that
migrated up the Florida Straits - and turned the Spiegel Grove upright.

Enveloped by delicate corals and
invertebrates, Spiegel Grove's top deck is about 60 feet below the
surface of the ocean. It currently is residence for more than 200
species of fish, marine experts said.